PoliceA High Stakes Mystery

4.5stars

By Jo Nesbo, Translated by Don Barlett
Alfred A. Knopf, $25.95, 436 pages

Police is the newest book in the fast paced detective series by Norwegian author Jo Nesbo. Recently retired detective Harry Hole is enjoying his new laid back existence teaching the next generation of police officers, and having regular hours to spend time with his new family. However, there is a serial killer on the loose and he’s targeting cops. As the kill count mounts, and becomes ever more personal, Harry Hole can’t afford to stay on the sidelines any longer.

Police is one of those books that is difficult to put down. Jo Nesbo does a great job of keeping up the frantic pacing, while managing to throw multiple red herrings at the reader without it coming across as superfluous information. This is a mystery where the killer isn’t seen clearly at the beginning of the book, and when the reveal does finally come, it’s a complete surprise. Readers who are not familiar with Jo Nesbo may find this book a bit difficult to get into at first. Not because it is part of a series, but because of the unfamiliar locations. A complicated novel where no one is perfect and everyone has secrets to hide, Police is a great read for mystery and thriller fans.

Reviewed by Whitney Smyth